Omaha daily bee., 1887-10-16
WOMEN AND THEIR DRESS.
Ella Wheeler on Modern Fashions
and How Women Should Ap-
parel Themselves.
MEMS LIKES IN woMAN's DRESS.
American Women Dressing Better
Than Formerly-Corsets Ruinous
TO Female Beauty and Health
The DecOlletee."
Written For The Bec-Copwiohted.1

loves. Next to the saving OF her own
soul, it is the most imperative duty of
her life.
If she loves no man, then she should
endeavor to be comely in the sight of
her friends and associates. Whenever
a woman is dainty and careful in her
dress she helps to refine the tastes of
those about her.
So long as she keeps these objects in
view, she is justified in the use of
whatever time and money her situation
may demand for the purpose. When
she ignores these points. and dresses to
outvie her neighbor, she is indulging
in sOulless extravaganza.
A wife ought to make careful study
OF her husbands tastes in dress and APP
parel herself accordingly. In order to
do this, | would advise her to keep a
tablet on hand on which to jot down his
flattering comments on other ladies'
costumes, or to make memoranda of
the toilets which won his admirng
glances. In this way many wife
would gain IA fairer estimate of her hus-
bands tastes than by trusting to his
comments on her own Dress
Young men declare they cannot afford
to marry nowadays, because girls
hie 81 eh1IaNdSahV. IIlcy may DlitIle
themselves for much of this eXtrava-
gance. 1t is the we'll dressed women
on whom they bestow their attentions
and their compliments.
Through the thin wall of a hotel par
tition l was the involuntary listener not
long ago to Il conversation between two
young men. They were discussing the
young ladies with whom they had be-
come acquainted during the summer.
"You just ought to have seen the girl
met at Lake George" said one. Her
dresses fitted like the paper on the wall.
No lady there could compare with her
in style"
think, as a rule, however. it does
not require cxtravagant expenditure to
produce pleasing effects for the opposite
sex. Men like well-ftted garment in
the prevailing fashion, and in becom-
ing colors. Only the dudes and the
statesmen are experts in Judging of ex-
pensive materials and elaborate finish.
| heard II gentleman rave over a
lady's costume one day, and pronounce
it one of the most effective and elegant
he had ever seen. 1t was a simple
serge but exquisitely fitted and draped,
and the color was exactly suited to its
wearer. His wife, who frowned at his
rhapsOdies, and, no doubt, wondered at
his taste, was attired in an expensive
silk, over-trimmed and clumsily made
and of a hideously unbecoming
shade.
know two girls: one is daughter of
wealth, who wastes fortune on dress
every year. l say wastes, because she
throws her money away recklessly,
ruins garment quickly and is seldom
neatly dressed. The other girl wears
inexpensive materials, is scrupulously
neat and careful, and on one twentieth
of the money expended by the heiress
she is better apparelled and more pleas
ing to the eye.
American women dress in far better
a1d more distinctive taste than they did
a. decade of years ago. individuality in
dress is becoming more potent than
fashion.
Few of us realize to whom thanks are
due for this welcome innovation.
We made sport of Oscar Wilde, yet
we owe him almost as great debt of
gratitude as we owe to the centennial
celebration of 1875. He told the Ameri-
can woman to study her personnel, and
to adapt her garments to her 'Own par
ticular style" He told her to dare to
be artistic; and the effect of his words
increases with each passing year.
No woman ever ought to make pur-
chase of even print or cambria morn
ing dress without pausing to think
whether it suits her style. If she is tall
and sallow, she does not need to increase
her height and sallowness by Il pale
blue stripe. Leave that for the short
blondes, and purchase a crimson check
Or q plain dark blue.
1t was the Creators original intention
that all women should be fair to look
,,ron JIulinocc onl Ioformitv ara tho
results of wrong methods of living and
thinking and it is in our power to
greatly augment ormodify the semisfor-
tunes by our methods of dress. 1t is Il
noble art, and should be studied like
any other of the arts.
1t is useless to deny the fact, and we
may as well be frank about it, our gar
ments for the street are uncomfortable
and inconvenient. But what are we
going to do about it? Only the fortu-
nate possessors of perfect forms and
faces can look we'll in questionable at
tire. Perfect beauties are few, and even
they prefer to increase their charms by
attractive costumes.
Men are quick to note with appreciat-
i've glances, or ready words of admira-
tion, fresh and stylish toilet. They
are quick to deride and ridicule a
woman who dares to be independent of
fashion.
So long as mankind finds fashionable
garments the attractive ones, so long
womankind will strive to keep close to
Dame Fashion, no matter how she
pinches us, pricks us, drags us down and
Overloads us.
l believe the corset is ruinous to the
real beauty of the female figure, and to
the health of women. All the long de-
fences of it ever written, all the disser-
tations on the support" it gives the
wearer, all the certificates OF perfectly
healthy and long-lived" women who
have been brought up from the cradle
in stays, will never convince any sensi-
BILE human being. Anything which
congresses the waist in the least de-
gree, anything which prevents deep
respiration, anything which does not
permit us to leap, run, fence, swim, or
practice gymnastics, without extra ia
tigue, must be injurious.
slight woman may do all this in
lacing strings, but without them the ef-
fort would be undeniably easier.
In one of the uptown hotel parlors
heard two mothers chatting about their
young daughters last modth. II am
really worried about Nellie," said one
"She is so full of life, and so fond of out.